Playing cards with distinctive suits

ABSTRACT

A playing card deck with fifty-two cards divided equally into four suits, being hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. The thirteen cards of each suit are sequentially numbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and, an ace with the following distinctive color arrangement: a first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and numbers being a red color; a second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a red color with a pink screened background, whether partial or whole; a third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and numbers being a black color; and a fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and numbers being a black color with a grey screened background, whether partial or whole. An alternative distinctive color arrangement being: a first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and numbers being a red color on a white background; a second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a white color against a red background in a form commonly known as reversed solid, a third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and numbers being a black color on a white background; and a fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and numbers being a white color against a black background. A second alternative color arrangement being a first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and numbers being a red color on a white background; a second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers in a border being a white color against a red background, with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers on the card face and boxed by the border being a red color on a white background; a third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and numbers being a black color on a white background; and a fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and numbers in a border being a white color against a black background, with all markings, club shapes and numbers on the card face and boxed by the border being a black color on a white background.

CONTINUATION-IN-PART

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.11/978,383 filed Oct. 29, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of playing cards and morespecifically to playing cards with suits made distinctive by backgroundscreening, reversed border coloring and reversed solid coloring.

The use of playing cards has been around for hundreds of years, and theconcept of four suits, with colors being two red and two black, haslikewise been conventional for hundreds of years. The use of suits withtwo through ten sequentially numbered face cards, with three picturecards, jack, queen and king, and with an ace, is, and has been standardfor poker, black jack and many other card games.

It is said that the game of poker was first played in New Orleans around1820. As first played the game had a 20 card deck of tens, Jacks,Queens, Kings and Aces. It was not until around 1845 that the game wasplayed with a full, 52 card deck.

All card players, using standard two color decks, will, from time totime, experience errors trying to read their hand or the board whenplaying card games. While such errors may only injure one's pride in afriendly home game, the same errors in a casino cash game could befinancially very costly.

These errors tend to be approximately ninety-five percent suit based,which is to say, the player will mistake one suit for another. Heartsand diamonds have always, since the first card design, been redmarkings, shapes and numbers with a completely white background.Likewise, spades and clubs have always been black markings, shapes andnumbers with a completely white background. Thus it can be seen that aplayer may mistake a heart for a diamond or vice-versa, and likewisemistake a spade for a club and vice-versa.

Over the years, after untold thousands of card games with traditionalcards, no one has been successful in solving this problem with suitcolor likeness and still maintaining the same two age-old acceptablecolors, red and black. There have been attempts to use four colorsinstead of just red and black as well as suit-based color tones, butthese attempts are generally not acceptable to card players.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For the first time in the long history of the playing card deck of fiftytwo cards, the present invention will eliminate card playing errors dueto suit color likeness and still maintain the acceptable colors of redand black and be a help to all players, especially those with poorvisibility. The present invention will allow instant identification asbetween spades and clubs and as between hearts and diamonds. The speedof identification will increase player and dealer satisfaction andlessen fatigue. This will lead to increased speed of play which willtranslate into increased revenue for card rooms and online sites.

The present invention will make it easier for the player to identify hisor her cards by suit when taking a “peek” because the identification canbe made without seeing the shape of the suit. It will also be easier forthe player to memorize “down” cards because there are now fourdistinctive suits.

One embodiment of the present invention is a playing card deck withfifty-two cards divided equally into four suits, being hearts, diamonds,spades and clubs. The thirteen cards of each suit are sequentiallynumbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and an acewith the following distinctive color arrangement:

-   -   a) A first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and        numbers being a red color;    -   b) A second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes        and numbers being a red color with a background, whether partial        or whole, screened or tinted a pink color;    -   c) A third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and        numbers being a black color; and    -   d) A fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and        numbers being a black color with a background, whether partial        or whole, screened or tinted a grey color.

A further embodiment of the present invention is a playing card deckwith fifty-two cards divided equally into four suits, being hearts,diamonds, spades and clubs. The thirteen cards of each suit aresequentially numbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, aking and an ace with the following distinctive color arrangement:

-   -   a) A first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and        numbers being a red color with a background, whether partial or        whole, screened or tinted a pink color;    -   b) A second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes        and numbers being a red color;    -   c) A third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and        numbers being a black color with a background, whether partial        or whole, screened or tinted a grey color; and    -   d) A fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and        numbers being a black color.

It is understood that the pink screened background as applied either tothe heart suit or the diamond suit will not obscure the markings, suitshapes or numbers on any card but only serve as a quick visualidentification of suit to the player. Thus the player will not mistake aheart for a diamond and vice-versa.

Likewise, it is understood that the grey-screened background as appliedeither to the spade suit or the club suit will not obscure the markings,suit shapes or numbers on any card but only serve as a quick visualidentification of suit to the player. Thus the player will not mistake aspade for a club and vice-versa.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a playing card deck withfifty-two cards divided equally into four suits, being hearts, diamonds,spades and clubs. The thirteen cards of each suit are sequentiallynumbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and an acewith the following distinctive color arrangement:

-   -   a) A first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and        numbers being a red color on a white background;    -   b) A second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes        and numbers being a white color against a red background in a        form commonly known as reversed solid.    -   c) A third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and        numbers being a black color on a white background; and    -   d) A fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and        numbers being a white color against a black background, in a        form commonly known as reversed solid.

It is further intended that the above stated distinctive colorarrangement be interchangeable as between the heart and diamond suitsand as between the spade and club suit.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a playing card deck withfifty-two cards divided equally into four suits, being hearts, diamonds,spades and clubs. The thirteen cards of each suit are sequentiallynumbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and an acewith the following distinctive color arrangement:

-   -   a) A first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and        numbers being a red color on a white background;    -   b) A second suit, diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes        and numbers in a border being a white color against a red        background in a form commonly known as reversed solid, with all        markings, diamond shapes and numbers on the card face and boxed        by the border being a red color on a white background.    -   c) A third suit, spades, with all markings, spade shapes and        numbers being a black color on a white background; and    -   d) A fourth suit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and        numbers in a border being a white color against a black        background in a form commonly known as reversed solid, with all        markings, club shapes and numbers on the card face and boxed by        the border being a black color on a white background.

It is further intended that the above stated distinctive colorarrangement be interchangeable as between the heart and diamond suitsand as between the spade and club suit.

It is an object of this invention that the inventive deck and colorarrangement be applicable to electronic depictions of playing card decksas common in video and computer games and on the internet as well as tomanual playing card decks.

It is a further object of this invention that the inventive deck andcolor arrangements be applicable to all traditional and “jumbo” versionsof playing card numbers, markings and suit shapes as well as card sizeand not limited to any version whether depicted herein or not.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the heart suit of one embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, heart shapes and numbers being a red colorhaving a white background.

FIG. 2 illustrates the diamond suit of one embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a redcolor but having a pink background.

FIG. 3 illustrates the heart and diamond suits of one embodiment of thepresent invention with an alternative face arrangement and thedistinctive contrast between these two suits with hearts having a whitebackground and diamonds having a pink background.

FIG. 4 illustrates the spade suit of one embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, spade shapes and numbers being a blackcolor having a white background.

FIG. 5 illustrates the club suit of one embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, club shapes and numbers being a black colorbut having a grey background.

FIG. 6 illustrates the spade and club suits of one embodiment thepresent invention with an alternative face arrangement and thedistinctive contrast between these two suits with spades having a whitebackground and clubs having a grey background.

FIG. 7 illustrates the diamond suit of one embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a whitecolor against a red background.

FIG. 8 illustrates the diamond suit of another embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers in a borderbeing a white color against a red background in a form commonly known asreversed solid, with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers on thecard face and boxed by the border being a red color on a whitebackground.

FIG. 9 illustrates the club suit of one embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, club shapes and numbers being a white coloragainst a black background.

FIG. 10 illustrates the club suit of another embodiment of the presentinvention with all markings, club shapes and numbers in a border being awhite color against a black background in a form commonly known asreversed solid, with all markings, club shapes and numbers on the cardface and boxed by the border being a black color on a white background.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates all thirteen cards of the heart suit 1 withsequentially numbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, aking and an ace. All markings 2, heart shapes 3 and numbers 4 are a redcolor as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks. In thisembodiment, the background 5 of each card of the heart suit 1 is a whitecolor as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks.

FIG. 2 illustrates all thirteen cards of the diamond suit 6 withsequentially numbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, aking and an ace. All markings 7, diamonds shapes 8 and numbers 9 are ared color as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks. Inthis embodiment, the background 10 of each card of the diamond suit 6 isscreened or tinted a pink color.

It is understood that in this embodiment, the diamond suit 6 would havethe background 10 screened or tinted a pink color while the background 5of the heart suit would be a white color. However, in an alternativeembodiment, the heart suit 6 would have the background 5 screened ortinted a pink color while the background 10 of the diamond suit 6 wouldbe a white color.

FIG. 3 illustrates four numbered cards from the heart suit 1 and diamondsuit 6 of the present invention with an alternative face arrangement andthe distinctive contrast between these two suits with hearts 1 having awhite background and diamonds 6 having a pink background.

The embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, shows thediamond suit 6 with the background 10 screened or tinted a pink colorwhile the background 5 of the heart suit is a white color. However, inan alternative embodiment, the heart suit 1 would have the background 5screened or tinted a pink color while the background 10 of the diamondsuit 6 would be a white color.

In FIG. 3, the alternative face arrangement depicts a boxed outline 11around the number of suit shapes pertaining to the card number. In analternative embodiment the background of the suit, whether hearts 1 ordiamonds 6, which is to be screened or tinted a pink color, be onlyscreened or tinted within the boxed outline 11, with the remainder ofthe background a white color.

FIG. 4 illustrates all thirteen cards of the spade suit 12 withsequentially numbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, aking and an ace. All markings 13, spade shapes 14 and numbers 15 are ablack color as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks.The background 16 of each card of the spade suit 12 is a white color ascommonly and traditionally used in playing card decks.

FIG. 5 illustrates all thirteen cards of the club suit 17 withsequentially numbered face cards, two through ten, a jack, a queen, aking and an ace. All markings 18, club shapes 19 and numbers 20 are ablack color as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks. Inthis embodiment, the background 21 of each card of the clubs suit 17 isscreened or tinted a grey color.

It is understood that in this embodiment, the club suit 17 would havethe background 21 screened or tinted a grey color while the background16 of the spade suit would be a white color. However, in an alternativeembodiment, the spade suit 12 would have the background 16 screened ortinted a grey color while the background 21 of the club suit 17 would bea white color.

FIG. 6 illustrates four numbered cards from the spade suit 12 and clubsuit 17 of the present invention with an alternative face arrangementand the distinctive contrast between these two suits with spades 12having a white background and clubs 17 having a grey background.

The embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, as in FIGS. 4 and 5, shows the clubsuit 17 with the background 21 screened or tinted a grey color while thebackground 16 of the spade suit 12 is a white color. However, in analternative embodiment, the spade suit 12 would have the background 16screened or tinted a grey color while the background 21 of the club suit17 would be a white color.

In FIG. 6, the alternative face arrangement depicts a boxed outline 11around the number of suit shapes pertaining to the card number. In analternative embodiment the background of the suit, whether spades 12 ordiamonds 17, which is to be screened or tinted a grey color, be onlyscreened or tinted within the boxed outline 11, with the remainder ofthe background a white color.

It is intended that the pink or grey color screened or tinted on thebackground of the intended cards be of reduced intensity so as not toobscure the markings, suit shapes or numbers of said cards, whichmarkings, suit shapes or numbers should be in distinct contrast to thebackground.

In an alternative embodiment FIG. 7 illustrates all thirteen cards ofthe diamond suit 6 with sequentially numbered face cards, two throughten, a jack, a queen, a king and an ace with all markings 7, diamondshapes 8 and numbers 9 being a white color as commonly and traditionallyused in playing card decks against a background 10 of a red color ascommonly and traditionally used in playing card decks in a form commonlyknown as reversed solid.

The distinctive color arrangement depicted in FIG. 7 can be applied tothe heart suit 1, in which case all markings 2, heart shapes 3 andnumbers 4 would be a white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks against a background 5 of red color as commonly andtraditionally used in playing card decks. In this case, all markings 7,diamond shapes 8 and numbers 9 of the diamond suit 6 would be a redcolor as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks against abackground 10 of white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks.

In an alternative embodiment FIG. 8 illustrates all thirteen cards ofthe diamond suit 6 with sequentially numbered face cards, two throughten, a jack, a queen, a king and an ace with all markings 7, diamondshapes 8 and numbers 9 in a border 22 being a white color as commonlyand traditionally used in playing card decks against a background 23 ofred color as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks in aform commonly known as reversed solid, with all markings 7, diamondshapes 8 and numbers 9 on the card face 24 boxed by the border 22 beinga red color as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks ona background 25 of white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks.

The distinctive color arrangement depicted in FIG. 8 can be applied tothe heart suit 1, with all markings 2, heart shapes 3 and numbers 4 in aborder 22 being a white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks against a background 23 of red color as commonly andtraditionally used in playing card decks in a form commonly known asreversed solid, with all markings 2, heart shapes 3 and numbers 4 on thecard face 24 boxed by the border 22 being a red color as commonly andtraditionally used in playing card decks on a background 25 of whitecolor as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks. In thisarrangement all markings 7, diamond shapes 8 and numbers 9 of thediamond suit 6 would be a red color as commonly and traditionally usedin playing card decks against a background 10 of white color as commonlyand traditionally used in playing card decks.

In an alternative embodiment FIG. 9 illustrates all thirteen cards ofthe club suit 17 with sequentially numbered face cards, two through ten,a jack, a queen, a king and an ace with all markings 18, club shapes 19and numbers 20 being a white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks against a background 21 of a black color as commonlyand traditionally used in playing card decks in a form commonly known asreversed solid.

The distinctive color arrangement depicted in FIG. 9 can be applied tothe spade suit 12, in which case all markings 13, spade shapes 14 andnumbers 15 would be a white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks against a background 16 of black color as commonlyand traditionally used in playing card decks. In this case all markings18, club shapes 19 and numbers 20 of the club suit 17 would be a blackcolor as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks against abackground 21 of white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks.

In an alternative embodiment FIG. 10 illustrates all thirteen cards ofthe club suit 17 with sequentially numbered face cards, two through ten,a jack, a queen, a king and an ace with all markings 18, club shapes 19and numbers 20 in a border 22 being a white color as commonly andtraditionally used in playing card decks against a background 26 ofblack color as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks ina form commonly known as reversed solid, with all markings 18, clubshapes 19 and numbers 20 on the card face 24 boxed by the border 22being a black color as commonly and traditionally used in playing carddecks on a background 25 of white color as commonly and traditionallyused in playing card decks.

The distinctive color arrangement depicted in FIG. 10 can be applied tothe spade suit 12, with all markings 12, spade shapes 14 and numbers 15in a border 22 being a white color as commonly and traditionally used inplaying card decks against a background 26 of black color as commonlyand traditionally used in playing card decks in a form commonly known asreversed solid, with all markings 12, spade shapes 14 and numbers 15 onthe card face 24 boxed by the border 22 being a black color as commonlyand traditionally used in playing card decks on a background 25 of whitecolor as commonly and traditionally used in playing card decks. In thiscase all markings 18, club shapes 19 and numbers 20 of the club suit 17would be a black color as commonly and traditionally used in playingcard decks against a background 21 of white color as commonly andtraditionally used in playing card decks.

It is intended that all embodiments of the invention be applicable toall electronic depictions or simulations of playing card decks as commonin video and computer games and on the internet as well as to decks ofplaying cards used manually.

1. A playing card deck comprising fifty-two cards divided equally intofour suits of thirteen cards each, said suits being hearts, diamonds,spades and clubs, said thirteen cards of each suit each bearing a shapepertaining to its respective suit, and each of said thirteen cards ofeach suit having sequentially numbered face cards with numbers twothrough ten, a jack, a queen, a king and an ace, said cards having thefollowing distinctive color arrangement: a first suit, hearts, with allmarkings, heart shapes and numbers being a red color; a second suit,diamonds, with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a redcolor with a pink screened background; a third suit, spades, with allmarkings, spade shapes and numbers being a black color; and a fourthsuit, clubs, with all markings, club shapes and numbers being a blackcolor with a grey screened background.
 2. A playing card deck comprisingfifty-two cards divided equally into four suits of thirteen cards each,said suits being hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs, said thirteen cardsof each suit each bearing a shape pertaining to its respective suit, andeach of said thirteen cards of each suit having sequentially numberedface cards with numbers two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and anace, said cards having the following distinctive color arrangement:first suit, hearts, with all markings, heart shapes and numbers being ared color with a pink screened background; second suit, diamonds, withall markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a red color; third suit,spades, with all markings, spade shapes and numbers being a black colorwith a grey screened background; and fourth suit, clubs, with allmarkings, club shapes and numbers being a black color.
 3. The playingcard deck of claim 1 wherein the pink screened background of the secondsuit covers less than the entire background of the cards in said suitand the grey screened background of the fourth suit covers less than theentire background of the cards in said suit.
 4. The playing card deck ofclaim 2 wherein the pink screened background of the first suit coversless than’ the entire background of the cards in said suit and the greyscreened background of the third suit covers less than the entirebackground of the cards in said suit.
 5. The playing card deck of claim1 wherein the playing card deck is provided as an electronic depictionor simulation of a playing card deck.
 6. The playing card deck of claim2 wherein the playing card deck is provided as an electronic depictionor simulation of a playing card deck.
 7. The playing card deck of claim3 wherein the playing card deck is provided as an electronic depictionor simulation of a playing card deck.
 8. The playing card deck of claim4 wherein the playing card deck is provided as an electronic depictionor simulation of a playing card deck.
 9. A playing card deck comprisingfifty-two cards divided equally into four suits of thirteen cards each,said suits being hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs, said thirteen cardsof each suit each bearing a shape pertaining to its respective suit, andeach of said thirteen cards of each suit having sequentially numberedface cards with numbers two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and anace, said cards having the following distinctive color arrangement: afirst suit, hearts or diamonds, with all markings, shapes and numbersbeing a red color on a white background; a second suit, hearts ordiamonds, with all markings, shapes and numbers being a white coloragainst a red background in a form commonly known as reversed solid; athird suit, spades or clubs, with all markings, shapes and numbers beinga black color on a white background; and a fourth suit, spades or clubs,with all markings, shapes and numbers being a white color against ablack background.
 10. A playing card deck comprising fifty-two cardsdivided equally into four suits of thirteen cards each, said suits beinghearts, diamonds, spades and clubs, said thirteen cards of each suiteach bearing a shape pertaining to its respective suit, and each of saidthirteen cards of each suit having sequentially numbered face cardswith, numbers two through ten, a jack, a queen, a king and an ace, saidcards having the following distinctive color arrangement: a first suit,hearts or diamonds, with all markings, shapes and numbers being a redcolor on a white background; a second suit, hearts or diamonds, with allmarkings, shapes and numbers in a border being a white color against ared background, with all markings, shapes and numbers on the card faceand boxed by the border being a red color on a white background; a thirdsuit, spades or clubs, with all markings, shapes and numbers being ablack color on a white background; and a fourth suit, spades or clubs,with all markings, shapes and numbers in a border being a white coloragainst a black background, with all markings, shapes and numbers on thecard face and boxed by the border being a black color on a whitebackground.
 11. The playing card deck of claim 9 wherein the playingcard deck is provided as an electronic depiction or simulation of aplaying card deck.
 12. The playing card deck of claim 10 wherein theplaying card deck is provided as an electronic depiction or simulationof a playing card deck.
 13. A plurality of playing cards forming a deck,said plurality of cards including four suits, said suits being hearts,diamonds, spades and clubs, comprising: a first group of heart-suitedcards with all markings, heart shapes and numbers being a red color on awhite background; a second group of diamond-suited cards with allmarkings, diamond shapes and numbers being a white color on a non-whitebackground; a third group of spade-suited cards with all markings, spadeshapes and numbers being a black color on a white background; and afourth group of club-suited cards with all markings, club shapes andnumbers being a white color on a non-white background.
 14. The pluralityof cards of claim 13 wherein said second group of diamond-suited cardsis on a red background.
 15. The plurality of cards of claim 13 whereinsaid fourth group of club-suited cards is on a black background.
 16. Aplurality of playing cards forming a deck, said plurality of cardsincluding four suits, said suits being hearts, diamonds, spades andclubs, comprising: a first group of diamond-suited cards with allmarkings, diamond shapes and numbers being a red color on a whitebackground; a second group of heart-suited cards with all markings,heart shapes and numbers being a white color on a non-white background;a third group of club-suited cards with all markings, club shapes andnumbers being a black color on a white background; and a fourth group ofspade-suited cards with all markings, spade shapes and numbers being awhite color on a non-white background.
 17. The plurality of cards ofclaim 16 wherein said second group of heart-suited cards is on a redbackground.
 18. The plurality of cards of claim 16 wherein said fourthgroup of spade-suited cards is on a black background.
 19. A plurality ofplaying cards forming a deck, said plurality of cards including foursuits, said suits being hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs, comprising:a first group of heart-suited cards with all markings, heart shapes andnumbers being a red color on a white background; a second group ofdiamond-suited cards having a non-white border surrounding a whitecenter background therewithin, all markings, diamond shapes and numbersin said border being a white color and all markings, diamond shapes andnumbers in said white center background being a non-white color; a thirdgroup of spade-suited cards with all markings, spade shapes and numbersbeing a black color on a white background; and a fourth group ofclub-suited cards having a non-white border surrounding a white centerbackground therewithin, all markings, club shapes and numbers in saidborder being a white color and all markings, club shapes and numbers insaid white center background being a non-white color.
 20. The pluralityof cards of claim 19 wherein said second group of diamond-suited cardshave a red border.
 21. The plurality of cards of claim 19 whereinrelative to said second group of diamond-suited cards, all markings,diamond shapes and numbers in said white center background are red. 22.The plurality of cards of claim 19 wherein said fourth group ofclub-suited cards have a black border.
 23. The plurality of cards ofclaim 19 wherein relative to said fourth group of club-suited cards, allmarkings, club shapes and numbers in said white center background areblack.
 24. A plurality of playing cards forming a deck, said pluralityof cards including four suits, said suits being hearts, diamonds, spadesand clubs, comprising: a first group of heart-suited cards having anon-white border surrounding a white center background therewithin, allmarkings, heart shapes and numbers in said border being a white colorand all markings, heart shapes and numbers in said white centerbackground being a non-white color; a second group of diamond-suitedcards with all markings, diamond shapes and numbers being a red color ona white background; a third group of spade-suited cards having anon-white border surrounding a white center background therewithin, allmarkings, spade shapes and numbers in said border being a white colorand all markings, spade shapes and numbers in said white centerbackground being a non-white color; and a fourth group of club-suitedcards with all markings, club shapes and numbers being a black color ona white background.
 25. The plurality of cards of claim 24 wherein saidfirst group of heart-suited cards have a red border.
 26. The pluralityof cards of claim 24 wherein relative to said first group ofheart-suited cards, all markings, heart shapes and numbers in said whitecenter background are red.
 27. The plurality of cards of claim 24wherein said third group of spade-suited cards have a black border. 28.The plurality of cards of claim 24 wherein relative to said third groupof spade-suited cards, all markings, spade shapes and numbers in saidwhite center background are black.